Saving Grace
by xXStillWatersXx
Summary: She came because her friend needed her, but she had no idea what she had gotten herself into. Oneshot. T for violence.


**Saving Grace**

Yuka was the kind of girl who always stayed out of trouble. She got A's and B's in school, always did all of her homework, and never broke her curfew. Yet, here she was, in more trouble than most girls would even dream of getting into. Yuka was in grave danger. How could this have been happening, to _her_ of all people?

The source of the threat stood in front of the opening in the tall belfry, the silver moonlight highlighting his long, golden tresses. He was dressed in white pants and a long, white jacket that was trimmed with gold. White gloves covered his hands and he wore white boots that were tucked under his pant legs. A cross had been threaded through his pony-tailed hair.

Out of all of his striking features, however, there was one that stood out. A pair of magnificent, white wings protruded from his back, framing his figure in the moonlight, and making him even more conspicuous against the dull grey stone.

Though she had yet to see his face, she could only think of one word to describe him: beautiful. Still, she knew he was bad news. Although this was the first time she had seen him, she knew the destruction he was capable of and the pain that he caused for every one around him. The very thought of the devastation sent a tremor of fear through her body.

"Tell me," the angelic figure before her said suddenly, she flinched at the harsh, formal tone in his voice, "why is it that you came here?" She stared at him with her large, golden-brown eyes, wondering if he was setting her up for a trap, and knowing that she was probably right.

"Because, Hiwatari asked me to," Yuka replied, doing her best to keep her voice from breaking.

"Why?" he asked. Once again, a trap, but any answer she gave him would have been the wrong one, especially silence, so she figured she might as well give him the truth.

"He only said for me to meet him here." She hoped that was good enough.

"Was his voice_ pleading_?" She thought of the events that led her to where she was.

Hiwatari had used a pay phone to make the call― she had known from the caller I.D.― and the message was short but clear:

"Meet me at the St. Columbus's Church in twenty minutes." Something in his voice told her that he needed her. When she tried to call his name, he had already hung up. She ignored his unusual behavior and found herself at the church about fifteen minutes after he had called.

It was quiet old, and had been abandoned some years ago after a fire destroyed the east wing. The church officials couldn't afford the repairs, so the entire establishment was shut down. Since that time, the building had fallen into disrepair. Ivy climbed up the high walls and bird nests rested on various ledges.

Yuka found Hiwatari sitting on one of the pews in the middle of the church. She walked as quietly as she could, though her steps still echoed off the stone floors and walls. He turned his head toward the source of the sound, and stood once he saw that it was her. She quickened her pace slightly.

"I got here as fast as I could. Are you okay? What's going on?" she asked worriedly once she reached him. Her shoulder length orange hair had fallen in front of her face untidily.

"I'm fine," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders in an effort to calm her. "It's just…I need to tell you something." He moved his gaze from her face to the floor. She could tell that he was reconsidering telling her whatever it was. She placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"Don't worry, you can trust me," she said kindly with a small smile on her face. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know, it's not that I don't trust you. It's just hard… to—" he leaned onto the pew suddenly and clutched his chest, gritting his teeth.

"Hiwatari? What's wrong?!" she asked, leaning over him and putting a hand on his back.

"It's nothing. I'm fine—" he cut himself off with an anguished yell.

"You are _not_ fine. I'm calling the hospital," she stated, whipping her cell phone out of the cargo pocket of her pants.

"I have to leave," he said, trying to seem as composed as possible as he started to walk swiftly away.

"Ah! Hiwatari!" Yuka called in frustration, catching up to him and grabbing his arm.

"No!" he yelled, pushing her onto the hard floor. "It's too dangerous now. Don't follow me!" he ordered the downed girl as he ran to the door that led to the bell tower staircase. She heard him howl in pain as he ran.

"No way!" she said to herself angrily, getting up and running after her friend. She ran quickly up the stairs, hearing him scream again as she went. _I'm coming, Hiwatari!_ she thought. After what seemed like hours, she reached the top of the tower, finding him doubled over in agony on the opposite side of the large bell that hung in the middle of the structure, his glasses lay broken on the tower floor.

"You fool!" Hiwatari yelled when he saw her. "Stay away! Stay away from me!" he screamed. At the same moment a large bump formed on his back and a flurry of white feathers along with a bright light surrounded him. She shielded her eyes from the light, and was forced to duck into a corner by the wind caused by the feathers' sudden appearance.

After the light faded, she saw him, just standing there. Right away she knew who he was, Dark had told her about him once before, and the memory of the Phantom Thief's description had stayed with her ever since.

"Krad…" she whispered. This was what Hiwatari had been trying to tell her; that he and this man were one in the same.

She snapped back to the present and recalled the blonde man's question. "It sounded like he was upset…" she replied quietly. He laughed cruelly.

"And you thought you could help him," he said turning suddenly. A lock of blonde hair had been left longer than the rest of his bangs, and his gold eyes held a murderous gleam that would have made even the most despicable killer quake in fear.

She didn't answer this time; she only glared back at him, trying her hardest to look confident. He gave her a cold smile and approached her with slow, graceful steps. The tall man crouched down so that he was eye-level with her, reminding Yuka of a lion stalking a gazelle. She prayed against all odds that she wasn't the gazelle.

"Isn't that right? Isn't that why you came?" She felt her fierce expression fading away from her face, and was now fighting to keep her composure.

"I wanted to do what I could for him."

"What makes you think you would be able to do _anything_ for Master Satoshi? You, an ordinary girl who is no more than thirteen years old, thought that you could help _him_?" he laughed.

Yuka's eyes darkened and she grit her teeth as she got to her feet. He stood as well. She clenched her fists as she stared up at him, trying to keep her thoughts rational.

"Allow me to enlighten you, Mademoiselle. No matter how hard you try, no matter what you do, you will never be able to save him." Tears stung her eyes as Krad leaned closer to her. "This body _will_ _be mine_," he whispered harshly.

"No, I won't let you hurt Hiwatari!" Yuka yelled, tears spilling down her cheeks despite her efforts. The thought of losing Hiwatari was more than she could bear. He chucked forebodingly.

"There's nothing that you can do to stop me." The thirteen-year-old felt a sudden wave of hopelessness wash over her being.

_He's right. What can I do?_ she asked herself.

"Ah, you're beginning to see reason. Good girl," he praised. The winged man returned to his place near the opening of the tower, allowing himself a satisfied smirk. "You're useless."

_No! I'm not useless! I can't let him get to me. This is what he wants. He wants me to break!_ she realized. "You're wrong!" she yelled suddenly. "Just because I'm not like Niwa or Hiwatari doesn't make me useless!" Krad's grin faded and was instantly replaced by a frightening scowl. He turned around to face her once again. "It doesn't mean that I can't be there for them when they need me," she finished quietly.

"How touching," he replied sarcastically, "but, you fail to realize the purpose of my visit."

"Why did you come, then? If you weren't trying to convince me to stop seeing Hiwatari, then what are you doing here?!" she cried. He smiled sadistically and came towards her, backing her into the corner once again.

"I came to get rid of my biggest obstacle." Yuka's eyes widened, her body began to shake in terror. Now she understood; Krad was going to _kill_ her.

"No!" she screamed pushing him away and making a break for the door. He was already there before she covered half the distance. She reeled back and looked around the tower for any means of escape. Her captor laughed mirthlessly.

"There's nowhere for you to go!" he called. Yuka backed up as far as she could without falling out of the building, and ran toward the bell. She jumped up and placed her right foot on the narrow ledge at the bottom of the bell, and proceeded to climb up the iron instrument. Krad merely watched her with mild interest as she reached the rope. Suddenly, she jumped to the other side of the rope, causing the bell to let out a loud bong. "So that's what you were planning," he growled.

Yuka leapt back to the other side and resumed her climb. Krad appeared before her, his wings keeping him suspended in midair, his arms crossed over his chest and a deep set scowl on his face. She let out a small gasp.

"He won't be here in time to save you," he said viciously. He came at her without warning, gripping her shoulders as he forced her against a wall twenty feet above the tower floor.

"I won't let you kill me, I've got too much to live for!" she yelled. She pushed herself off the wall and into his chest forcefully. With no time to react, both of them began to fall. Though she hated it, she clung to him, intending to use him as a cushion when they hit the ground.

He was quick to recover from her sudden attack, and threw her off him. Although they were only five feet up now, she hit the stone floor with a hard thud. He came at her again with such amazing speed that she barely saw him. His hand was at her throat before she could even make an attempt to run away. Her feet dangled as he lifted her off her knees.

"You're going to die here," he said quietly, tightening his grip. Yuka clawed at his hand desperately, trying in vain to take just one more breath, to hold on just a little longer. He would come, she was sure of it. The tears continued to fall from her eyes as her body pleaded for air. Her vision blurred and darkened.

"Let her go, Krad!" a familiar voice shouted. Through the haze she saw a dark figure fly full speed at Krad and slam him into the opposite wall, making him drop her. She gasped for breath, clutching her throat.

As her vision returned to normal, she saw her rescuer. He was a man clad in black pants and black boots, and a sleeveless black shirt trimmed with white. His choppy purple hair fell into his now enraged amethyst eyes, and his pitch black wings were every bit as magnificent as Krad's.

"I knew you'd come, Dark," she whispered hoarsely, even though she knew he couldn't hear her as he wrestled with Krad. The blonde drew a feather from his wing and charged the Phantom Thief; Dark drew his own and parried the blow.

Krad spread his wings and released a barrage of bewitched feathers that released a fierce blow upon contact. They were powerful enough to leave a large impression in the rock-solid walls. Dark dodged and blasted his way to Krad, landing a sound punch to his jaw. The blonde was sent flying backwards and crashed into the wall where Yuka was still recovering. She shrieked at the near miss and jumped to her feet, immediately regretting it as she was still dizzy.

The girl tried to fight it off, but Krad was too quick for her. He held out his hand and spread his fingers. Yuka was instantly surrounded by a strange yellow light and she was lifted off the ground once again as her body was consumed by pain. She clenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth.

"No! Yuka, hold on!" Dark yelled. Krad laughed.

"You'll have to kill me to get her back!" he exclaimed.

"Then that's what I'll do!"

"No, don't!"

The two men stared at Yuka, bewildered.

"Yuka, he'll kill you!" Dark cried, starting towards Krad.

"Stop!" she yelled. "If you kill him, you'll kill Hiwatari too!" Dark halted, his eyes telling of his internal confrontation. His enemy looked at both of them, a dark amusement showing on his devilish face.

"It seems we are at an impasse. Shall I do away with her, then?"

"Don't you dare!" the thief boomed, pulling out another feather and preparing to charge once again.

"Dark, I'm begging you! Please, stop!" the trapped thirteen-year-old wailed, agony coloring her tone. Once again he obeyed, though it was becoming harder and harder to do so. "Hiwatari, I know you can hear me! Don't let him control you!"

Krad scowled in disapproval.

"Stupid girl," he scoffed. "You think he can overpower me? Ha!" He balled his hand into a fist and Yuka's pain doubled.

"Don't listen to him, Hiwatari," she managed to call out. "You can beat him, I know you can!"

Krad's arm shook slightly and he began to lose control of the enchantment. Yuka slowly descended to the ground.

"What?!" he hissed furiously. Was his tamer really fighting him for control?

Dark rushed to the orange-haired girl's side as soon as she touched down on the stone floor. She shakily rose to her feet before he could help her, and her warm brown eyes met those of her intended killer.

Yuka took a step toward him, and he backed away slightly. She continued on, but he didn't move again; it was as if his feet were planted in the floor. She reached him within three slow strides.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he spat as she stared up into his face. Yuka didn't answer, but reached out and took his hand, clasping it in both of hers. Krad started and his eyes widened with a frantic fury.

"Satoshi," she said softly, bringing their hands to the height of her chin, "you aren't powerless; you aren't weak. You're strong Satoshi. You can overcome him."

Krad watched her with utter disgust, losing more control with every word she spoke.

"You can fight him Satoshi, but you don't have to struggle alone. I'll fight with you. No matter what, I'll stay by your side, I promise."

There was a sudden flash of light, and a torrent of feathers flew about the tower once again. Yuka kept hold of his hand as it morphed and shrank in her own. As the barrage faded away, she saw Satoshi standing before her. He sank to his knees, bringing her down with him. She wrapped her arms around him comfortingly and he rested his head on her shoulder. They stayed silent for a moment, relishing in the fact that they were together.

"Yuka…" Satoshi finally whispered.

"What is it?"

"You stayed…You saved me."

"I just encouraged you, that's all," Yuka disagreed. The boy in her arms straightened up and shook his head.

"No. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to control him. Don't you understand? You gave me a reason to fight him. It was you," he explained.

He gazed into her eyes. Their warm, honey-brown depths shone with a loving tenderness, the likes of which he had never seen. It was almost unfair; the way her sweet face made his heart seem to swell, the way her hands contoured to his, the things she said to him in her soft, clear voice.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "You saved me," he repeated quietly. "Thank you."

He pressed his lips against hers. Yuka's eyes went wide and then fluttered closed as Satoshi hugged her to him. Dark leaned against the wall and watched with mild amusement, a small smile on his lips.

_A rather odd turn of events, don't you think?_ he asked his tamer.

_Yeah, _Daisuke agreed, his voice echoing in Dark's mind. _But, you know, I'm happy that Miss Inoe was there for Hiwatari. I'm happy he has her, just like I have Miss Riku._

The first rays of sunlight began to show over the horizon and the young couple broke apart. Satoshi still held her to him as his shoulders began to shake and his eyes filled with tears.

"Thank you," he would whisper again and again in her ear. "Thank you for being my saving grace."

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A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed. Reveiws are welcome, but flamers will be hit over the head with a fire extinguisher. Thanks for reading!


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